Theology, spiritualism, science, medicine, the exuberant materialism of a scandalous decade—all these Mrs. Glover now confronted. It was an atmosphere in which her Moral Science might well appear to be one more fly-by-night wonder, as Christianity itself had first appeared in ancient Rome to be merely another faddish mystery cult from the East.
On August 13 an advertisement appeared in the Lynn Semi-Weekly Reporter:
Mrs. Glover, the well-known Scientist, will receive applications for one week from ladies and gentlemen who wish to learn how to HEAL THE SICK without medicine, and with a success unequaled by any known method of the present day, at DR. KENNEDY'S OFFICE, No 71 South Common street, Lynn, Mass.13
Two days later the following agreement was signed by two young men of Lynn:
We the undersigned do hereby agree in consideration of instruction and manuscripts received from Mrs. Mary Baker Glover to pay her one hundred dollars in advance and ten per cent annually on the income that we receive from practicing or teaching it.
We also do hereby agree to pay her one thousand dollars in case we do not practice nor teach the above named science that she has taught us.
(Signed) G. H. Tuttle
(Signed) C. S. Stanley14
Shortly after this, Mrs. Glover’s first class began. It probably included, in addition to Tuttle and Stanley, Clarkson and Susan Oliver, a Mrs. J. R. Eastman, and perhaps Mrs. Addie Spofford, whose husband Daniel was later to play an important part in the history of Christian Science.15 All signed agreements similar to the one quoted above. All ● ● ●
14 [George H. Tuttle and Charles S. Stanley, 15 August 1870, Subject File, Mary Baker Eddy - Lawsuits - Eddy v. Tuttle et al., MBEL.]
↑15 Mrs. Spofford may have been in the second class in December. The evidence on this point is not clear. An agreement similar to Tuttle’s and Stanley’s was signed by both Spoffords on August 17, 1870, but Daniel did not have class with her until five years later.
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